While I wouldn’t wish insomnia on anyone I’ve learned to accept and in a strange way look forward to my time at night. I always fall right asleep and it may last 3-5 hours. And then my mind becomes alert and begins, as I call it, free spinning. This is where the thoughts are unbidden, random, and usually most interesting. After things slow down a bit I become contemplative and eventually meditative and finally back asleep.
The Middle Path was what I meditated on last night. There is the obvious analogy about keeping away from extremes in training your body to be a runner. Too close to over training and you risk injury or burnout, too close to under training and you get little effect. But the deeper message last night was the peace and calm that is a tenant of Tibetan Buddhism, the Middle Path. The Buddha sat by a river listening to a lute player and realized that the strings must be tuned just right, neither too tight, or too loose, to produce a harmonious sound. And with that I drifted back off to another hour of real slumber. So if I see you and give you a nod, that is my Middle Path, my wish for harmony.
Congratulations to Bea Sides of Omaha. She has again been awarded the RRCA Outstanding Beginning Running Program Award for her “Step Into Running” program. You’ll see Bea either tearing it up when she’s racing or volunteering at just about every local event of the year. Very deserving!
I had a couple of Uptoberfest beers with Paul Braunschweiler last night. Most people know him as a stud masters runner, he turns 60 soon and still whoops up on youngsters half his age and is a national class age group triathlete. He’ll be leaving Omaha in less than a week. I’ve always respected his wisdom and admired his talent and I’m glad I got to tell him that before he blows this popsicle stand for Laguna Nigel in California. Good luck and Giddyup Paul.
A great article on Rebekah Topham in today’s Omaha World Herald. She is the female wunderkind from Iowa that was mentioned in my Homage to the Omaha Mile column. A great look at the trials and tribulations of being that talented that young, she set the World Record for 10 year old girls in the 5000 running an eye popping 18:42 in 2007. She ran several years for the Omaha based Cornhusker Flyers. She is currently home schooled and running XC for Griswold, IA and is ranked number 1 in Class 1-A. http://www.omaha.com/article/20111004/PREPZONE/710049794/1001#iowa-teenager-has-always-run-and-almost-always-won
Speaking of Iowa, Living History Farms filled up last night. America’s largest XC race and a real Midwest Classic.
Linda has asked me to remind all of the Mates that we post a lot of great information relating to TNB on our Facebook page. http://www.facebook.com/groups/109001835799671/
Our Wednesday night group will be meeting at Chalco Hills tonight for our 2nd Swamp Stomp 8K XC Cajun Festival preview. 6:00 pm start, a great turnout last week and we hope you too can make it out for some fellowship and fun!
Seafood Gumbo will once again be the Signature Dish for the Swamp Stomp.
About Author
